Hong Kong survived an early scare to beat Papua New Guinea by a comfortable 29-run margin to take the fifth spot available for Associates in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20.

Hong Kong looked to have made a mistake by deciding to bat first. They fell to 19 for 4 in the fourth over, but a late surge by Babar Hayat, whose 48 was comfortably the high score in a game dominated by bowlers.

The PNG opening bowlers Pipi Raho and Willie Gavera achieved good swing in the early overs, but Hong Kong was equally culpable in the initial struggle with Irfan Ahmed and Tanwir Afzal both caught slogging at deep midwicket off Gavera. Waqas Barkat, deputising for Jamie Atkinson who suffered a broken right thumb a day earlier against Nepal, was also caught after miscuing a slog off Gavera while Nizakat Khan chased a wide delivery from Raho and edged to Mahuru Dai at first slip as Hong Kong's top four all left without reaching double figures.

Hong Kong, though, did not deter from their aggressive intent and Munir Dar struck four boundaries in his 22 off 15 balls before slicing an attempted cut to short third man. From then on, Hayat and Mark Chapman patiently added 62 for the sixth wicket in a match defining stand.

A pivotal moment took place in the 16th with the score on 91 for 5 when Geraint Jones dropped a Hayat at extra cover for 31. Hayat then plundered a four and a six off the next over by Chris Amini to take the score to 116.

Hong Kong suffered a second collapse as they lost four wickets in the space of nine balls towards the end of their innings. However, the last-wicket pair of Nadeem Ahmed and Haseeb Amjad took 17 runs off the final nine deliveries to take Hong Kong to 137 for 9.

Like the Netherlands a day before against the UAE, PNG seemed unsure how to approach a small target and the conservative approach at the start of their chase was something they could not overturn later on.

Asad Vala was run out without scoring and Chris Kent struggled against Tanwir Afzal before falling lbw. PNG's leading scorer Tony Ura was joined by Jones but neither one was able to generate enough momentum for PNG to put Hong Kong under pressure in the field.

After PNG slipped to 59 for 5, the hopes for a comeback rested with Geraint Jones, but he was dismissed by Amjad for 20 in the 15th. They were eventually bowled out for 108 one ball into the 20th.

"I have no words. It will be the first time Hong Kong will play in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament," Barkat said. "I think the whole team was really keen to qualify and go to Bangladesh. Though all of us were tired and disappointed after losing yesterday's match, we did not let our heads down. It is really good that we came back hard today. Even after losing four wickets early on, the guys had self-belief and we did it."

The Netherlands successfully chased down a steep target against Scotland to secure a return to the ICC World Twenty20 for the first time since they upset England at the tournament opener in 2009.

Ben Cooper, who had batted at seven in Wednesday's loss to the UAE, was promoted to open and his positive approach was the catalyst in the chase. Cooper's presence encouraged Wesley Barresi to come out of the shell he was in on Wednesday and the pair put on 67 for the second wicket. Cooper was eventually stumped for 40 off Majid Haq, but the Netherlands refused to retreat.

Michael Swart picked up where Cooper left off and along with Barresi knocked off the rest of the runs needed as the Netherlands crossed the target with 13 balls to spare. Barresi finished 75 not out and scored a chunk of his eight fours using the sweep against the spinners, with Haq taking the most punishment going for 46 runs in his four overs.

This was the last of four games played on the same pitch and the previous two demonstrated wear which caused problems for the team chasing. With that in mind, Scotland chose to bat. Despite a horror start with openers Richie Berrington and Calum MacLeod bagging ducks, Scotland cruised through most of the innings, with Matt Machan and Michael Leask each posting half-centuries. Machan's 61 was his fourth half-century of the event, keeping him on top of the batting charts with 363 runs.

Machan and Leask added 111 for the third wicket to take the score to 112 for 2 after 15 overs. With wickets in hand they threatened to post a score in excess of 160, but the Netherlands bowling unit reined Scotland in with late strikes aided by some stellar catching on the boundary by Cooper and Tim Gruijters.

Ahsan Malik accounted for Machan and Matthew Cross to finish with 2 for 24 in his four overs. At 142 for 4 with seven balls to go in the innings, captain Kyle Coetzer was caught on the boundary by Gruijters off the bowling of Mudassar Bukhari. Malik conceded just four runs in the last over including the wicket of Cross to give the Netherlands added momentum heading into the second innings. Even though the target was 30 runs more than they faced against the UAE, the team made it look relatively simple in the end.

Italy claimed ninth place, beating Namibia by 25 runs in the play-off in Abu Dhabi. Italy posted 130 for 9 after choosing to bat. Namibia were never able to get going in the chase, and lost too many wickets upfront to be dismissed for 105 in the last over.

Damian Crowley and Carl Sandri made thirties to lead Italy to a strong position at 91 for 3 after 13 overs but the former's dismissal by Bernard Scholtz sparked a collapse. None of the following batsmen were able to get into double figures as Italy stuttered to 130 for 9.

Sandri thrived with the ball as well, taking 2 for 12 from his four overs after Gayashan Munasinghe delivered the initial breakthrough, bowling Louis van der Westhuizen in the third over. The other opener Pikky Ya France was run out and soon Namibia were in free fall at 39 for 4. Nicolaas Scholtz and Gerhard Erasmus added 40 runs for the fifth wicket but the asking-rate kept increasing. Gareth Berg claimed a hat-trick in the last over, bowling the last three batsmen to seal the win.

As one of few HK-Chinese who follow the game, I look forward to following HK progress in the prelim b4 adding England in the main.

Bladerunners
on November 29, 2013, 7:50 GMT

It will be hard for europeon teams to quallify.espacially team like eng.they hardly got chance to get to the second round .they dont have 1%of chance

mm1983
on November 29, 2013, 6:57 GMT

I think its difficult to condemn teams as many of those commenting below have...I would rather see a team of players that have come through the system u19s etc for a country playing than those born in a country but never having/having lived for limited period and played their cricket elsewhere. There are already limits on the number of 'hanger ons' that can play any way. IMO its about raising the standard of cricket played so the best teams should go through, simple as that. Those failing to qualify obviously have played better opposition and it will improve their cricket and hopefully they will do better next time round. I think its good to see teams where the local support is not there going through as this may be what is needed to get the support going.

Anil_Koshy
on November 29, 2013, 3:40 GMT

Very sad day for cricket, teams like Hong Kong and UAE qualified for the T20 World Cup. It is very unfortunate to see PNG, Namibia or even Scotland missing out, not many people in Hong Kong or UAE would be following them, then why ICC is investing time and money on them. It is really pity that such teams block chances of more deserving teams like PNG and Namibia. UAE played in 1996 world cup with 10 expatriates in their team even after 20 years nothing has changed.

If ICC is really serious about promoting the and make it a global game they should shift focus from expatriates to locals.

android_user
on November 29, 2013, 1:07 GMT

@stark62 Tendo is not playing from Netherlands since he wants to be qualified from England. hopefully in the next year, he will

dummy4fb
on November 28, 2013, 21:21 GMT

Also disappointed for PNG. Everyone of their squad was born in PNG. Not like some others who are stacked with ex-pats. I doubt that many people in HK will give a toss that their nation made the world cup.

Jonah58
on November 28, 2013, 15:41 GMT

@poLarity hmm yes Hong Kong full of expats most of whom were either born there or players who's parents were convinced to move there by a remarkably prescient HKCA based on their performances in under 7 cricket. I suggest you look at these things before commenting. Well done to HK on a remarkable achievement in getting to the next stage of the qualifiers in Bangladesh

Stark62
on November 28, 2013, 13:25 GMT

I was hoping to see PNG in the 2014 T20 world cup but I guess, they can only improve and raise their standards for the 2016 T20 WC qualifiers, plus the format might change and they may get a crack at the top 8 Test nations.

Also, anyone know why Tendo wasn't playing for Netherlands?

poLarity
on November 28, 2013, 12:40 GMT

Disappointed for PNG. Hong-Kong is one of those ex-pat packed associates, seem to have a few hangers-on.

CodandChips
on November 28, 2013, 11:49 GMT

Interesting. In the Scotland vs Netherlands match, only 9 out of the 22 players are representing the country of their birth. This is not something I have a problem with, but many others might.

Go on Scotland. I would love to see Scotland and Ireland in the WT20 main competition.

android_user
on December 1, 2013, 9:28 GMT

As one of few HK-Chinese who follow the game, I look forward to following HK progress in the prelim b4 adding England in the main.

Bladerunners
on November 29, 2013, 7:50 GMT

It will be hard for europeon teams to quallify.espacially team like eng.they hardly got chance to get to the second round .they dont have 1%of chance

mm1983
on November 29, 2013, 6:57 GMT

I think its difficult to condemn teams as many of those commenting below have...I would rather see a team of players that have come through the system u19s etc for a country playing than those born in a country but never having/having lived for limited period and played their cricket elsewhere. There are already limits on the number of 'hanger ons' that can play any way. IMO its about raising the standard of cricket played so the best teams should go through, simple as that. Those failing to qualify obviously have played better opposition and it will improve their cricket and hopefully they will do better next time round. I think its good to see teams where the local support is not there going through as this may be what is needed to get the support going.

Anil_Koshy
on November 29, 2013, 3:40 GMT

Very sad day for cricket, teams like Hong Kong and UAE qualified for the T20 World Cup. It is very unfortunate to see PNG, Namibia or even Scotland missing out, not many people in Hong Kong or UAE would be following them, then why ICC is investing time and money on them. It is really pity that such teams block chances of more deserving teams like PNG and Namibia. UAE played in 1996 world cup with 10 expatriates in their team even after 20 years nothing has changed.

If ICC is really serious about promoting the and make it a global game they should shift focus from expatriates to locals.

android_user
on November 29, 2013, 1:07 GMT

@stark62 Tendo is not playing from Netherlands since he wants to be qualified from England. hopefully in the next year, he will

dummy4fb
on November 28, 2013, 21:21 GMT

Also disappointed for PNG. Everyone of their squad was born in PNG. Not like some others who are stacked with ex-pats. I doubt that many people in HK will give a toss that their nation made the world cup.

Jonah58
on November 28, 2013, 15:41 GMT

@poLarity hmm yes Hong Kong full of expats most of whom were either born there or players who's parents were convinced to move there by a remarkably prescient HKCA based on their performances in under 7 cricket. I suggest you look at these things before commenting. Well done to HK on a remarkable achievement in getting to the next stage of the qualifiers in Bangladesh

Stark62
on November 28, 2013, 13:25 GMT

I was hoping to see PNG in the 2014 T20 world cup but I guess, they can only improve and raise their standards for the 2016 T20 WC qualifiers, plus the format might change and they may get a crack at the top 8 Test nations.

Also, anyone know why Tendo wasn't playing for Netherlands?

poLarity
on November 28, 2013, 12:40 GMT

Disappointed for PNG. Hong-Kong is one of those ex-pat packed associates, seem to have a few hangers-on.

CodandChips
on November 28, 2013, 11:49 GMT

Interesting. In the Scotland vs Netherlands match, only 9 out of the 22 players are representing the country of their birth. This is not something I have a problem with, but many others might.

Go on Scotland. I would love to see Scotland and Ireland in the WT20 main competition.

No featured comments at the moment.

CodandChips
on November 28, 2013, 11:49 GMT

Interesting. In the Scotland vs Netherlands match, only 9 out of the 22 players are representing the country of their birth. This is not something I have a problem with, but many others might.

Go on Scotland. I would love to see Scotland and Ireland in the WT20 main competition.

poLarity
on November 28, 2013, 12:40 GMT

Disappointed for PNG. Hong-Kong is one of those ex-pat packed associates, seem to have a few hangers-on.

Stark62
on November 28, 2013, 13:25 GMT

I was hoping to see PNG in the 2014 T20 world cup but I guess, they can only improve and raise their standards for the 2016 T20 WC qualifiers, plus the format might change and they may get a crack at the top 8 Test nations.

Also, anyone know why Tendo wasn't playing for Netherlands?

Jonah58
on November 28, 2013, 15:41 GMT

@poLarity hmm yes Hong Kong full of expats most of whom were either born there or players who's parents were convinced to move there by a remarkably prescient HKCA based on their performances in under 7 cricket. I suggest you look at these things before commenting. Well done to HK on a remarkable achievement in getting to the next stage of the qualifiers in Bangladesh

dummy4fb
on November 28, 2013, 21:21 GMT

Also disappointed for PNG. Everyone of their squad was born in PNG. Not like some others who are stacked with ex-pats. I doubt that many people in HK will give a toss that their nation made the world cup.

android_user
on November 29, 2013, 1:07 GMT

@stark62 Tendo is not playing from Netherlands since he wants to be qualified from England. hopefully in the next year, he will

Anil_Koshy
on November 29, 2013, 3:40 GMT

Very sad day for cricket, teams like Hong Kong and UAE qualified for the T20 World Cup. It is very unfortunate to see PNG, Namibia or even Scotland missing out, not many people in Hong Kong or UAE would be following them, then why ICC is investing time and money on them. It is really pity that such teams block chances of more deserving teams like PNG and Namibia. UAE played in 1996 world cup with 10 expatriates in their team even after 20 years nothing has changed.

If ICC is really serious about promoting the and make it a global game they should shift focus from expatriates to locals.

mm1983
on November 29, 2013, 6:57 GMT

I think its difficult to condemn teams as many of those commenting below have...I would rather see a team of players that have come through the system u19s etc for a country playing than those born in a country but never having/having lived for limited period and played their cricket elsewhere. There are already limits on the number of 'hanger ons' that can play any way. IMO its about raising the standard of cricket played so the best teams should go through, simple as that. Those failing to qualify obviously have played better opposition and it will improve their cricket and hopefully they will do better next time round. I think its good to see teams where the local support is not there going through as this may be what is needed to get the support going.

Bladerunners
on November 29, 2013, 7:50 GMT

It will be hard for europeon teams to quallify.espacially team like eng.they hardly got chance to get to the second round .they dont have 1%of chance

android_user
on December 1, 2013, 9:28 GMT

As one of few HK-Chinese who follow the game, I look forward to following HK progress in the prelim b4 adding England in the main.